News Article

OIG Investigation Finds Nursing Home Abuse Often Not Reported

August 29, 2017

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an early alert on Monday about potential abuse or neglect at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). OIG's investigation has found that more than one-quarter of serious cases of nursing home abuse are not reported to law enforcement, despite state and federal law requiring it. OIG is conducting an ongoing review into nursing home neglect and abuse, and their early alert was issued in order to prompt immediate actions to ensure better protection of individuals in SNFs. The investigation reviewed records from 2015 and 2016 and found 134 cases of abuse severe enough to require emergency treatment; 28% of these cases were not reported to the police. The alert determined that CMS has inadequate procedures to ensure that incidents of potential abuse are identified and reported, and it suggests immediate actions for CMS to protect vulnerable residents in SNFs. Read the alert here. Read the story from NPR here.

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